Contents

Get in

Bundaberg is approx. 4 hours drive by car north of Brisbane. Buses do the journey in around 6 hours. Queensland Rail[2] Services Bundaberg with it's TravelTrains the journey can be 4 hours on the tilt train, or up to 6 1/2 on the Sunlander or Spirit of the Outback. Adult fare $62.70 one way. Bundaberg can also be reached by air (QantasLink) from Brisbane (check for specials). The airport is around 4 km west of the city centre.

Get around

Duffy's buses[3] run mainly school buses, although there are some public routes. Other you really need a car to get anywhere outside the city centre. A number of Backpacker hostels run shuttle minibuses for seasonal workers to local farms early in the morning and back again in the afternoon.

See

The Bundaberg Rum Distillery[4], where the amber fluid has been produced since 1888. Tours run on the hour, every hour 10 am to 3 pm, Monday to Friday, 10 am to 2 pm, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. +61 7 4131-2999. Covered footware required. Adults $9.90, students, seniors, pensioners, group or more than 15 (prebooking required) $7.70, children 5 to 17 years $4.40, children under 5 free.

The Bundaberg Barrel[5] is the home of Bundaberg Ginger Beer (and other brewed soft drinks). There is a shop and tasting free to access, and a interactive museum display at a small cost.

The Hinkler House Memorial Museum, +61 7 4152-0222, located in the Botanic gardens, was originally the house of Bert Hinkler, a pioneer aviator born in Bundaberg who, in 1928, became the first to fly solo from England to Australia, and, in 1931, the first to fly solo across the South Atlantic. The house was originally located on the Thornhill Estate, Sholing, in Southampton, England, and was rescued from destruction in 1983, when it was dismantled and shipped brick by brick to Bundaberg and reconstructed. Open daily, 10.00 am to 4.00 pm (9.30 am to 4.30 pm during Queensland School Holidays). Closed on Christmas day, Good Friday and ANZAC day (April 25, until 1 pm). The house looks like a very normal house no the outside, and on the inside. Exhibits mostly consist of newspaper cutouts and photos. Difficult to see the value in the admission fee unless you are into that kind of thing.

Also in the Botanic Gardens [6] is a restored steam train[7] which runs Sundays and public holidays. Rides cost a nominal fee and do two laps of the Botanic Gardens pond. The railway is pulled a restored steam cane train.

East - Towards the Ocean

Turtles[8] return each year around December to Mon Repos to lay their eggs at night. In around February, and in December you can see the little hatchlings struggle their way into the ocean against the waves. The beach is part of a National Park, and you must be accompanied by a ranger to see the turtles. Laying and hatching is at night.

Tropical Fish at the Basin, Bargara. Tropical fish can be seen at the Basin, and the southern end of The Esplanade. It is possible to take bread and feed them. There is no admission charge, bring your own snorkel and mask.

Do

Walk along Bourbong Street and look at some of the city's old buildings.

Swim at Bargara beach

Go to the Hummock, a 100-meter-tall hill on the outskirts of Bundaberg for a good view of the city and out to the ocean. On a clear day, you can see the tip of Fraser Island

Work

Seasonal work can be obtained picking tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables. Check with the backpacker hostels for more info. To work legally, you require a valid work visa (not a tourist visa) and you should provide the employer with a tax file number if you do not want them to deduct 48 % tax from your wages (normal non-residental tax rate 29 %). It may be possible to work without a valid visa (cash-in-hand), though occasionally inspectors do checks on farms and at hostels, which could possibly result in severe consequences.

Buy

Bourbong Street, the main drag through town, is partly a shared pedestrian zone with a variety of shops, banks, travel agents and the main post office. Apart fom there, there are two major shopping centres, Hinkler Place a few blocks to the south on the corner of Maryborough and Electra Sts, and the larger Sugarland in the west (Cnr Takalvan and Heidke Sts), both of which contain most of the major Australian chains between them.

Eat

Kacy's (Bargara Beach Motel), Cnr Bauer & Esplanade at Bargara Beach, ☎07 4130 1100, [1]. Fine cooking on a pleasant terrace. With a little bit chance you could see possums in the trees from your table.

Drink

The Hungry Tum along Bourbong street is well known for its signature drink, pink lemonade

Sleep

There is a variety of accommodation styles availabe in Bundaberg. West of the Bundaberg Railway Station there are a number of well equipped motels. In amongst these motels is a variety of food outlets ranging from cafe style food, take away, and restaurants. There are around three backpackers hostels to choose from. One is opposite the bus depot. Two others are opposite the train station. Most of these can arrange farm work and will even provide transport to the farms in the morning and back in the afternoon. For those that wish to camp caravan and camping parks are located throughout the city.

Get out

Town of 1770 - Agnes Water News & Guide, when visiting Bundaberg make sure to visit the Historic Birth Place of Queensland, Town of 1770, so named after the year that Captain Cook first landed in Queensland, work can often be found for backpackers, via the backpacker hostels, mainly in restaurants.